Celosia plant named &#39;Bkcelfrd&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Celosia  plant named ‘BKCELFRD’, characterized by its broadly upright plant habit; moderately freely basal branching habit; green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; red-colored flowers arranged on conical compound spikes; and good interiorscape and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Celosia plumosa.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BKCELFRD’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Celosia plant, botanically known as Celosia plumosa and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘BKCELFRD’.

The new Celosia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Maasdijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Celosia plants that have unique and attractive flowers, long flowering period and good interiorscape and garden performance.

The new Celosia plant originated from an open-pollination in June, 2011 in Maasdijk, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Celosia plumosa identified as code number 1401242, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Celosia plumosa as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Celosia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands in April, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Celosia plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands since October, 2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Celosia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Celosia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘BKCELFRD’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘BKCELFRD’ as a new and distinct Celosia plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright plant habit.     -   2. Moderately freely basal branching habit.     -   3. Green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Red-colored flowers arranged on conical compound spikes.     -   6. Good interiorscape and garden performance.

Plants of the new Celosia differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Celosia are shorter than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Celosia are darker green in color         than leaves of plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Celosia and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have orange-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Celosia can be compared to plants of Celosia hybrida ‘BKCELMG’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,045. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Celosia differ primarily from ‘BKCELMG’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Celosia and ‘BKCELMG’ differ in leaf color         as leaves of plants of ‘BKCELMG’ are darker green in color.     -   2. Plants of the new Celosia flower earlier than plants of         ‘BKCELMG’.     -   3. Plants of the new Celosia and ‘BKCELMG’ differ in flower         color as plants of ‘BKCELMG’ have red purple-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Celosia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Celosia plant. The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant o‘BKCELFRD’ grown in a container. The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences and leaves of ‘BKCELFRD’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 12-cm containers during the winter in a glass-covered greenhouse in Maasdijk, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Celosia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from about 19° C. to 22° C. and night temperatures ranged from about 17° C. to 19° C. Plants were pinched one time and were 13 weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Celosia plumosa ‘BKCELFRD’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Celosia             plumosa identified as code number 1401242, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Celosia             plumosa, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 days at             temperatures ranging from about 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 19 days at             temperatures ranging from about 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 days             at temperatures ranging from about 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 23 days             at temperatures ranging from about 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous annual typically             grown as a potted plant; broadly upright plant habit;             moderately freely branching habit with about three basal             branches each with secondary lateral branches developing per             plant; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 17             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 21.8             cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 22.4 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 9.7 cm. Diameter: About             6 mm. Internode length: About 7 mm. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; moderately             glossy. Color, developing: Close to 145C to 145D. Color,             developed: Close to 145C tinged with close to 52B to 52C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.         -   Length.—About 11.2 cm.         -   Width.—About 5.9 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Apiculate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous;             slightly glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous;             moderately glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143C.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 144B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137B; venation,             close to 145B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 146B; venation, close to 144A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             moderately glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 145B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and arrangement.—Single rotate flowers arranged             in conical terminal compound spikes; flowers sessile;             flowers face upright to slightly outwardly; flowers do not             fully open and remain in flower bud form.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit with about 90,000             flower buds developing per plant during the flowering             season.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 58             days after planting; flowering continuous from spring into             the autumn in The Netherlands.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences of the new Celosia             have good longevity and plants maintain good substance for             about 60 days; flowers persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 9.3 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 6.5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.5 mm.         -   Flower height.—About 6 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Shape: Narrowly ovoid. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             glossy. Color: Close to 31D.         -   Petals.—None observed.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Typically ten per flower             arranged in about two whorls. Length: About 5 mm. Width:             About 2 mm. Shape: Narrowly ovate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, inner and outer             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Luster, inner and outer             surfaces: Glossy. Color: When opening, inner and outer             surfaces: Close to 60D. Fully opened, inner and outer             surfaces: Close to 60D; color becoming closer to 62D with             development.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per flower: Typically one. Length:             About 3.5 mm. Width: About 0.4 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:             Narrowly acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to between 53A and 60A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 8.6 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Angle: Mostly upright. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture             and luster: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: Close             to 38C to 38D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Filament length: About 1.5 mm. Filament color: Close to             199D. Anther size: About 0.3 mm by 1 mm. Anther shape:             Narrowly oblong. Anther color: Close to 199D. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 161D. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: One. Length: About 3 mm. Stigma diameter: About             0.3 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to             61A. Style length: About 2.7 mm. Style color: Close to 61A.             Ovary color: Close to 61A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Celosia. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Celosia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Celosia     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Celosia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and high     temperatures of about 35° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone     9. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Celosia plant named ‘BKCELFRD’ as illustrated and described. 